According to sources familiar with the matter, Amazon is currently in negotiations to acquire rights to the National Football League's Sunday Ticket package.
According to people familiar with the matter, Amazon is interested in the multiyear out-of-market game package. They asked not for their names as the discussions are confidential. Amazon agreed to pay $1 billion annually to be the exclusive provider for Thursday Night Football games starting next year. Amazon Prime Video became the first streaming service to have an NFL broadcast package.
Amazon spokesmen declined to comment on the "Sunday Ticket” discussions.
Two people familiar with the matter said that the NFL will likely ask for between $2 billion and $2.5 billion annually for the package. They also want to conclude discussions before February's season ends. DirecTV has owned "Sunday Ticket” for 27 years. According to the people, talks are ongoing with interested parties. This suggests that the league is closer to selecting a new provider.
AT&T spun off DirecTV last month as a new company. DirecTV renewed "Sunday Tickets" in 2014 for an additional eight-year term. After the 2022-23 season, the current contract will expire.
CNBC's Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner, stated Wednesday that the out-of market Sunday game package might be more appealing on a digital platform as streaming platforms continue their growth at the expense traditional pay-television. Goodell suggested to CNBC that the league is seeking a strategic partner to not only acquire "Sunday Ticket" rights, but also to invest in NFL Network. This network airs NFL content throughout the year and NFL RedZone shows live game footage when teams are near scoring touchdowns. Both NFL Network and NFL RedZone are currently owned by the NFL.
Amazon is competing for Sunday game rights. Bloomberg was informed this week by Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN. He stated that Sunday Ticket is an "incredibly valuable product" and that Disney has been in exploratory talks with the league. According to the Information news site, Apple also expressed an interest in the package. According to a source familiar with the matter, Peacock of NBCUniversal is unlikely to bid for the rights.
CNBC was told by several media executives that Amazon was the favourite to win the rights for the package. NBC News reported that Amazon and ESPN were interested in the package as early as July.
